Universal serial bus technology has provided computer users with enhanced connectivity capabilities between computers and an increasingly wider range of peripheral devices. Universal serial bus hubs incorporating multiple universal serial bus ports into a single housing offer the ability to connect multiple peripheral devices to each other or to a computer via a universal serial bus connection. Some existing universal serial bus hubs are stackable. Although connecting a peripheral device using a universal serial bus hub can be as easy as simply plugging a universal serial bus cable into a universal serial bus port, existing universal serial bus hubs tend to place their ports in places that can be difficult to access. Additionally, existing universal serial bus hubs do not lend themselves to good cable management, leading instead to unsightly and inefficient cable arrangement. Accordingly, a need exists for a universal serial bus hub capable of being oriented in a direction chosen by the user. A further need exists for a universal serial bus hub configured to allow cables to exit from the universal serial bus hub in any direction, or in a single direction.
For simplicity and clarity of illustration, the drawing figures illustrate the general manner of construction, and descriptions and details of well-known features and techniques may be omitted to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the invention. Additionally, elements in the drawing figures are not necessarily drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions of some of the elements in the figures may be exaggerated relative to other elements to help improve understanding of embodiments of the present invention. The same reference numerals in different figures denote the same elements.
The terms “first,” “second,” “third,” “fourth,” and the like in the description and in the claims, if any, are used for distinguishing between similar elements and not necessarily for describing a particular sequential or chronological order. It is to be understood that the terms so used are interchangeable under appropriate circumstances such that the embodiments of the invention described herein are, for example, capable of operation in sequences other than those illustrated or otherwise described herein. Furthermore, the terms “comprise,” “include,” “have,” and any variations thereof, are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements is not necessarily limited to those elements, but may include other elements not expressly listed or inherent to such process, method, article, or apparatus.
The terms “left,” “right,” “front,” “back,” “top,” “bottom,” “over,” “under,” in the description and in the claims, if any, are used for descriptive purposes and not necessarily for describing permanent relative positions. It is to be understood that the terms so used are interchangeable under appropriate circumstances such that the embodiments of the invention described herein are, for example, capable of operation in other orientations than those illustrated or otherwise described herein. The term “coupled,” as used herein, is defined as directly or indirectly connected in an electrical, mechanical, or other manner.